doctor-patient communication

Have you ever been prescribed an antibiotic to fight a cold or flu virus, even if you knew that such medicines are not designed to fight viruses? What if your doctor recommends a treatment that you think is not necessary? Today, thanks to the Choosing Wisely campaign, you can be better prepared for such challenging conversations, and together with your health team you can carefully weigh treatment choices. AARP is a partner in this campaign, which promotes thoughtful conversations between patients, caregivers …

“There is a bias in medicine against talking to people,” a frustrated health care provider tells the Washington Post. Or, as a recent story in the Wall Street Journal put it, “Doctors are rude. Doctors don’t listen. Doctors have no time. Doctors don’t explain things in terms patients can understand.” And then there’s the poignant explanation that a 78-year-old Medicare patient tells the Post: “In a doctor’s office, a lot of people, especially older people, feel pressure to get out …